Cossacks were destroying the deserted villages； while the French would not touch them。 He knew that another peasant had on the previous day even brought from the hamlet of Vislouhovo； where the French were encamped； a proclamation from the French general that no harm would be done to the inhabitants； and that everything taken from them would be paid for； if they would remain。 In token of good faith； the peasant brought from Vislouhovo a hundred…rouble note （he did not know it was false）； paid him in advance for hay。
And last； and most important of all； Alpatitch learned that on the day on which he had given the village elder orders to collect carts to move the princess’s luggage from Bogutcharovo； there had been a meeting in the village at which it was resolved to wait and not to move。 Meanwhile； time was pressing。 On the day of the prince’s death； the 15th of August； the marshal urged Princess Marya to move the same day； as it was becoming dangerous。 He said that he could not answer for what might happen after the 16th。 He drove away that evening； promising to return next morning for the funeral。 But next day he could not come； as he received information of an expected advance of the French； and was only just in time to get his family and valuables moved away from his own estate。
For nearly thirty years Bogutcharovo had been under the direction of the village elder； Dron； called by the old prince； Dronushka。
Dron was one of those physically and morally vigorous peasants； who grow a thick beard as soon as they are grown up； and go on almost unchanged till sixty or seventy； without a grey hair or the loss of a tooth； as upright and vigorous at sixty as at thirty。
Shortly after the attempted migration to the warm rivers； in which he had taken part with the rest； Dron was made village elder and overseer of Bogutcharovo； and had filled those positions irreproachably for twenty…three years。 The peasants were more afraid of him than of their master。 The old prince and the young one and the steward respected him； and called him in joke the minister。 Dron had never once been drunk or ill since he had been appointed elder； he had never after sleepless nights or severe labour shown the slightest signs of fatigue； and though he could not read or write； he never forgot an account of the pounds of flour in the huge waggon…loads he sold； and of the money paid for them； nor missed a sheaf of wheat on an acre of the Bogutcharovo fields。
This peasant Dron it was for whom Alpatitch sent on coming from the plundered estate at Bleak Hills。 He ordered him to get ready twelve horses for the princess’s carriages； and eighteen conveyances for the move which was to be made from Bogutcharovo。 Though the peasants paid rent instead of working as serfs； Alpatitch expected to meet no difficulty on their part in carrying out this order； since there were two hundred and thirty efficient families in Bogutcharovo； and the peasants were well…to…do。 But Dron； on receiving the order； dropped his eyes and made no reply。 Alpatitch mentioned the names of peasants from whom he told him to take the carts。
Dron replied that the horses belonging to those peasants were away on hire。 Alpatitch mentioned the names of other peasants。 They too； according to Dron； had no horses available： some were employed in government transport； others had gone lame； and others had died through the shortness of forage。 In Dron’s opinion； there was no hope of getting horses enough for the princess’s carriages； not to speak of the transport of baggage。
Alpatitch looked intently at Dron and scowled。 Dron was a model village elder； but Alpatitch had not been twenty years managing the prince’s estates for nothing； and he too was a model steward。 He possessed in the highest degree the faculty of divining the needs and instincts of the peasants； with whom he had to deal； and was consequently an excellent steward。 Glancing at Dron； he saw at once that his answers were not the expression of his own ideas； but the expression of the general drift of opinion in the Bogutcharovo village； by which the elder had already been carried away。 At the same time； he knew that Dron； who had saved money and was detested by the village； must be hesitating between two camps—the master’s and the peasants’。 He detected the hesitation in his eyes； and so frowning he came closer to Dron。
“Now； Dronushka；” he said； “you listen to me！ Don’t you talk nonsense to me。 His excellency； Prince Andrey Nikolaevitch； himself gave me orders to move the folk away； and not leave them with the enemy； and the Tsar has issued a decree that it is to be so。 Any one that stays is a traitor to the Tsar。 Do you hear？”
“I hear；” answered Dron； not raising his eyes。
Alpatitch was not satisfied with his reply。
“Ay； Dron； there’ll be trouble！” said Alpatitch； shaking his head。
“It’s for you to command！” said Dron dejectedly。
“Ay； Dron； drop it！” repeated Alpatitch； taking his hand out of the bosom of his coat； and pointing with a solemn gesture to the ground under Dron’s feet。 “I can see right through you； and more than that； I can see three yards into the earth under you；” he said； looking at the ground under Dron’s feet。
Dron was disconcerted； he looked furtively at Alpatitch； and dropped his eyes again。
“You drop this nonsense； and tell the folks to pack up to leave their homes and go to Moscow； and to get ready carts to…morrow morning for the princess’s luggage； and don’t you go to the meeting。 Do you hear？”
All at once Dron threw himself at his feet。
“Yakov Alpatitch； discharge me！ Take the keys from me； discharge me； for Christ’s sake！”
“Stop that！” said Alpatitch sternly。 “I can see through you three yards into the earth；” he repeated； knowing that his skill in beekeeping； his knowledge of the right day to sow the oats； and his success in pleasing the old prince for twenty years had long ago gained him the reputation of a wizard； and that the power of seeing for three yards under a man is ascribed to wizards。
Dron got up； and would have said something； but Alpatitch interrupted him。
“What’s this you’ve all got in your head？ Eh？ … What are you thinking about？ Eh？”
“What am I to do with the people？” said Dron。 “They’re all in a ferment。 I do tell them …”
“Oh； I dare say you do；” said Alpatitch。 “Are they drinking？” he asked briefly。
“They’re all in a ferment； Yakov Alpatitch； they have got hold of another barrel。”
“Then you listen to me。 I’ll go to the police…captain and you tell them so； and tell them to drop all this and get the carts ready。”
“Certainly；” answered Dron。
Yakov Alpatitch did not insist further。 He had much experience in managing the peasants； and knew that the chief means for securing obedience was not to show the slightest suspicion that they could do anything but obey。 Having wrung from Dron a submissive “certainly；” Yakov Alpatitch rested content with it； though he had more than doubts—he had a conviction—that the carts would not be provided without the intervention of the military authorities。
And as a fact when evening came； the carts had not been provided。 There had been again a village meeting at the tavern； and at the meeting it had been resolved to drive the horses out into the forest and not to provide the conveyances。 Without saying a word of all this to the princess； Alpatitch ordered his own baggage to be unloaded from the waggons that had come from Bleak Hills and the horses to be taken from them for the princess’s carriage； while he rode off himself to the police authorities。
Chapter 10
AFTER HER FATHER’S FUNERAL Princess Marya locked herself in her room and would not let any one come near her。 A maid came to the door to say that Alpatitch had come to ask for instructions in regard to the journey。 （This was before Alpatitch had talked to Dron。） Princess Marya got up from the sofa on which she was lying； and through the closed door replied that she was never going away； and begged to be left in peace。
The windows of the room in which Princess Marya lay looked to the west。 She lay on the sofa facing the wall； and fingering the buttons on the leather bolster； she saw nothing but that bolster； and her thoughts were concentrated obscurely on one subject。 She thought of the finality of death and of her spiritual baseness； of which she had had no idea till it showed itself during her father’s illness。 She longed to pray； but dared not； dared not； in the spiritual state she was in； turn to God。 For a long while she lay in that position。
The sun was setting； and the slanting rays lighted up the room through the open window； and threw a glow on part of the morocco cushion at which Princess Marya was looking。 The current of her thoughts was suddenly arrested。 She unconsciously sat up； smoothed her hair； stood up； and walked to the window； involuntarily drawing a deep breath of the refreshing coolness of the clear； windy evening。
“Yes； now you can admire the sunset at your ease！ He is not here； and there is no one to hinder you；” she said to herself； and sinking into a chair； she let her head fall on the window…sill。
Some one spoke her name in a soft and tender voice from the garden and kissed her on the head。 She looked up。 It was Mademoiselle Bourienne in a black dress and pleureuses。 She softly approached Princess Marya； kissed her with a sigh； and promptly burst into tears。 Princess Marya looked round at her。 All her old conflicts with her； her jealousy of her； recurred to Princess Marya’s mind。 She remembered too that he had changed of late to Mademoiselle Bourienne； could not bear the sight of her； and therefore how unjust had been the censure that she had in her heart passed upon her。 “Yes； and is it for me； for me； after desiring his death； to pass judgment on any one？” she thought。
Princess Marya pictured vividly to herself Mademoiselle Bourienne’s position； estranged from her of late； though dependent on her； and living among strangers。 And she felt sorry for her。 She looked at her in gentle inquiry and held out her hand to her。 Mademoiselle Bourienne at once began kissing her hand with tears and talking of the princess’s sorrow； making herself a partner in that sorrow。 She said that her only consolation in her s